Any owner or keeper of a dog six months of age or older in the Town shall cause that dog to be licensed as required by M.G.L. ch. 140 commencing on April 1 of each year. The Board of Selectmen shall establish the annual fee for every dog and kennel license. Four dogs are permitted per household. The license for a spayed or neutered dog shall be $15 annually and $20 annually of nonspayed or nonneutered dogs.
When applying for a license, the applicant must show proof by
a valid veterinarian's certificate that the dog has been vaccinated
against rabies within the last three years if the dog is six months
of age or over. No fee shall be charged for a license for a dog specifically
trained to lead or serve a blind or deaf person; provided that the
Division of the Blind or Deaf certifies that such dog is so trained
and actually in the service of a blind or deaf person.
No license fee or part thereof shall be refunded because of
subsequent death, loss, spaying, neutering, other disposal of the
dog, or removal from the Town or the commonwealth.
Should any owner or keeper of a dog fail to license that dog before July 1, that owner or keeper shall pay a late fee in the amount of $20 per dog before obtaining said license. This late fee shall be applicable from the 61st day after arrival of a dog brought into the Town as provided in M.G.L. ch. 140, § 138. Any person maintaining a kennel in the Town who fails to license as prescribed by this section and the law of the commonwealth shall pay a late fee beginning July 1. Citation fees shall be charged in accordance with M.G.L. ch. 140, § 173A, which requires a fee of $50 as of August 1, $60 if not paid within 21 days and $100 if still not paid after 21 days. All payments are cumulative.
All fees collected by the Town Clerk shall be accounted for
and paid over to the Treasurer-Collector to be incorporated into the
General Fund.
